Race and Gender Differences in Children's Socialization into Sport

Abstract

In order to determine whether race and gender differences occurred in children's socialization into sport, a fixed alternative questionnaire was administered to 193 males (46 black and 147 white) and 222 females (69 black and 153 white) between the ages of 9 and 12 years. Results from several discriminant function analyses indicated that white children are more influenced by specific agents of socialization while black children are more influenced by situational or contextual variables, such as opportunity set and values toward sport. Gender differences appear to be a function of same-sex agents of socialization. However, those agents which most influence white children are not those that most influence black children.